Episode 506: Brooke Shields
Brooke stars as Alice in the Muppet production of Alice in Wonderland. The on-stage zaniness can't match the usual backstage chaos -- Fozzie thinks he's going to play the Tin Woodman, and Piggy (scheduled to play the Queen of Hearts) is hoping to take over as Alice. Bunsen's special effects make Brooke too tall to leave her dressing room -- and then shrinks her so small that no one can find her. Piggy, still hoping for the lead, tries to "accidentally" step on Brooke. Finally, Gonzo as the Mad Hatter heads the Mad Tea Party, which ends with a rousing chorus of "We're Off to See the Wizard!" Highlights *Humpty Dumpty sings "These Are the Yolks, Folks". *Rowlf and Scooter star in a bizarre dramatization of "Jabberwocky". *The trial scene features Marvin Suggs as the judge. He swears in Kermit: "Repeat after me: Ow." Quotes :Kermit: "Why did we do Alice in Wonderland? We should have done something simple, like War and Peace." Notes This episode's format -- an adaptation of a classic book with a guest star as the lead and the Muppets playing supporting characters -- anticipates the later features The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and especially The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. The full roster of Muppets and their Lewis Carroll roles in this episode are: Miss Piggy as the Queen of Hearts, Link Hogthrob as the King of Hearts, The Great Gonzo as the Mad Hatter, Dr. Teeth as the Cheshire Cat, Floyd Pepper as the Caterpillar, Scooter as the young man in "Jabberwocky", Rowlf as his father, Statler and Waldorf as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, a chicken (possibly Camilla) as the Dormouse, Marvin Suggs as the Judge, and assorted Whatnots as the cards. Fozzie, of course, is the Tin Woodsman from The Wizard of Oz, with Rizzo the Rat as the Wizard for the finale. Special Wonderland puppets, apparently built specifically for the episode, include the White Rabbit, March Hare, Jabberwock and related creatures, Humpty Dumpty and the Duchess, all of which are surprisingly close to the original illustrations by John Tenniel. Due to child labor laws limiting the amount of time Shields could spend on the set, she spent her spare time in the Muppet Workshop, where she helped build some of the puppets for the Jabberwocky sketch. It should be noted that several characters and sequences come not from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland but from the sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. These include Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Humpty Dumpty and the Jabberwocky. Cast Guest Star: :Brooke Shields Muppets: :Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf the Dog, Statler, Waldorf, Pops, The White Rabbit, Marmalade Jar, Link Hogthrob, Gills Brothers, Flamingo, Dr. Teeth, Humpty Dumpty, Floyd Pepper, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Slithy Toves, Borogroves, Mome Raths, Jabberwock, Marvin Suggs, The March Hare, Chicken, Rizzo the Rat Background Muppets: :Ohreally Bird, Alfonso D'Bruzzo, Gaffer, The Duchess, Whatnots, Old Skyball Paint, Prairie Dog, Lobster, Eric the Parrot, Lizard, Snake, Weasel, The Devil Performers :Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, Rowlf, and Link Hogthrob :Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Marvin Suggs :Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Pops, Humpty Dumpty, and Chicken :Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, and the March Hare :Dave Goelz as Gonzo :Steve Whitmire as the White Rabbit and Rizzo the Rat :Kathy Mullen as Others :Louise Gold as the Duchess :Betsy Baytos as Others Next Episode :Episode 507: Glenda Jackson 506